


Safety Zone

by phoenix220



Category: Bleach
Genre: Alternate Universe - Hospital, Attempted Rape/Non-Con, Bullying, Comatose Grimmjow, M/M, Physical Abuse
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-12
Updated: 2016-08-30
Packaged: 2018-08-08 05:47:12
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 14,582
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7745551
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/phoenix220/pseuds/phoenix220
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Ichigo had never felt safe at work, always having to hide from the boss's son and friends who delighted in torturing him. One patient changes that, gives him some where to be, someone to talk to. Only, Grimmjow doesn't know he's there.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Part One

Ichigo stabbed through his lunch with little enthusiasm. Superfood Salad was what was on the label but it was all a little limp and warm, having sat in his locker since five that morning. He was lucky he was getting to eat it at all though, some days he went for his whole shift without getting more than a mouthful of water. He couldn’t sit in the cafeteria at lunch time, couldn’t use the coffee machine in the locker room either; unless he was very lucky and no one else was there.

He glanced around, swinging his leg as he glanced down the dim corridor, glad it was a quiet day. Even the corridor to the morgue had to be used obviously and being his only hiding place that could give him enough time to eat he needed to make sure he wasn’t found or bothering anyone who could stop him.

He knew it was sad and pathetic, third year was supposed to be when he got to go solo on his first patient, when he should have an intern or two of his own but his class was a big one and the current year of interns were all divvied up between the ‘better’ residents. He was good at his job, the clinical part of it anyway. He could feel his way around the human body better than most, had instincts that led him to the correct vein, the right space or the problem on an organ. His mentors claimed it was inherited, that his blood ran with surgery thanks to his dad but all that meant was they expected more of him, expected his father’s vain, comic personality to bounce around and _everyone_ had been disappointed by the skinny, orange haired punk that showed up in the white coat the first day. He didn’t even inherit his dad’s reasonably impressive height and there were a couple of the female residents who measured up to him, more now that they were starting to dress smarter and wear heels occasionally.

It wasn’t supposed to be that way, he wasn’t supposed to be hiding out in the morgue, scared to walk the halls without an attending and basically mute around anyone in a white coat. He was supposed to shine, was supposed to be outdoing all the others. And he was, quietly, but that was the big problem. And he thought he’d be done with bullies in high school. University was just a vacation from them. And boy had they upped their game.

It had started with the smallest things; things that he’d just accepted were his fault until they happened over and over, and to no one else. No one else lost all of their test results. No one else waited nearly as long as he did to get patients into scans unless they were vital. Then again any vital patients were under a more senior doctor. Meaning it was definitely him they were targeting, his name on the paperwork.

‘They’ happened to be in his year and seemed to shine to bright but Ichigo always though it was more like a glare. Like they were putting on a show to distract you from their actual abilities and personalities. How else could the spilled drinks on his lunch, the splatters on his scrubs and coat and the chair pull-outs be explained? It really was petty and pathetic but he had nowhere to go, no one he could complain to. How could he rat in the director of the residency program’s son? He’d not last a week after that with the senior staff after him as well.

A loud beeping broke his thoughts and he nearly dumped his salad on the floor. He checked his phone and darted up, jamming his lunch box into the nearest bin as he passed on the way to the emergency room.

“Kurosaki, with me.”

Ichigo took a breath and headed over, glad to be working with the head of trauma, seeing why he’d asked for him almost immediately with the belly rising above the patient. Ichigo had made his preference to work with children in paediatrics at the start of the year and while he still rotated round all of the specialities, he focused his research and a lot of his own time to perfecting the ability to do all of the intricate surgeries needed on a tiny human being.

The woman had been involved in a car accident and had been cut out of the car. Ichigo helped out but he was more another pair of hands, stitching up a leg wound and monitoring the baby through monitors strapped to the woman’s stomach. The baby seemed to be in no danger and once she was getting sent up to a room for observation overnight, she was out of danger and so was her baby. She was so thankful to them all and a bit emotional to the point that she made Ichigo feel uncomfortable. The police were in to speak to her and Ichigo was writing up his notes when a bunch of his year mates congregated to discuss what had happened.

“Did you hear the guy was on his phone when he ploughed into her?”

Ichigo’s head jerked up, a frown on his face at the discovery. He hated when people put other’s lives in danger like that.

“Yeah, and he was speeding. Some hot shot, getting a private room and everything. Got the head of plastics down to sew up his face, can’t have a scar on the CEO’s mug.”

“She should sue him; get every penny she could out of him.”

Ichigo bit his tongue, knowing his voice wasn’t welcome but he was a little emboldened by the fact that his worst tormentor was absent at that point. “I think it’s up to the police to sort it out and our job is just to care for them, not stick our noses in.”

Six pairs of eyes swung round and looked at him, several eyebrows were raised. “Sorry Kurosaki, didn’t know you were an authority here.”

Ichigo just rolled his eyes, ducking his head back to his chart again. He did glance up, catching the eye of the one person in his year that had any time for him, if only due to blood relation. His cousin Uryu was a promising cardio surgeon and although they had little time for each other and had not been close growing up, they were at least civil at work. He did look like he agreed with Ichigo but would never stand up for him.

“So, Kurosaki. Didn’t see you this morning after rounds. Missed you.”

Ichigo felt a drop of sweat run down his spine, his hand gripping his pen tighter when the other started to speak. Ichigo slowly lifted his head, brown eyes meeting brown. Ichigo tried not to flinch as Aizen grinned a shark’s grin down at him. A hand reached out and snatched the chart out from under him, Ichigo grabbing at it to try and keep it.

“Tch, you’re really downplaying her injuries don’t you think? She’ll need all the support she can get to throw the guy in jail. Come on, give her a little hand.”

Ichigo frowned, standing steadily and resting his hands on the desk. Sousuke Aizen was taller than him, more refined looking with his quaffed hair and broad shoulders but to Ichigo he looked like a snake, calm and cool one second before they pounce and kill something. Ichigo’d had bruises from him that took week to fade, all ‘accidents’ of course.

Taking the chance that they were in public with witnesses Ichigo struck out, grabbing the file and tucking it under his arm. “The file is accurate, everything we had to do, every procedure and drug. Excuse me.”

Ichigo took the chance to bolt, turning to stride away when the oily voice stopped him. “Since you’re clearly on his side, Doc Ukitake needs you to look after the other driver. He was looking for someone to monitor him for a few hours.”

Ichigo turned and sneered back, knowing he wasn’t going to get a punch to the thigh or elbow to the ribs from that distance, Aizen saved that shit for lectures and rounds when there was a crowd of people to hide him.

Ichigo finished the chart write up leaning on his thigh on a busy corridor before he handed it off to a nurse to be taken to the ward the woman had been on. He then went looking for one of the more kind surgeons in the hospital, the general surgeon having a gentle personality as well as gentle hands. He was also easy to spot with his long white hair in a low ponytail that day lying over his blue shirt.

“Excuse me Doctor Ukitake, I was told you needed someone to monitor the driver of one of the cars.” Ichigo stood tall with his hands behind his back, looking the man in the eye as he spoke. His eyesight did dip after he’d finished, not quite ending at the floor but only because he’d been told off for that before.

“Ichigo, good to see you boy. I assigned that task to Redder, why have you ended up with it?”

Hmm, why indeed did he get landed with Aizen’s lackey’s job? “He was caught up with something sir, I am free though. I just finished with the lady driver and she’s away up for observation for the night.”

Ukitake let out a genuine sigh. “Oh that is good. I hate seeing expectant mothers caught up in things like that. It won’t be easy for her. Anyway, Mr Jaeggerjaques is in the ICU, I’m afraid you’ve already missed scrubbing in with him but he’ll need his incision checked every two hours as well as a basic neuro check every hour. He’s settled down a fair bit after a shaky start. If I let you have him you’ve got to promise me he’ll still be alive tomorrow, do you understand?” Ukitake smiled when he said it, making a joke but he frowned as he realised the young man in front of him was not only taking him seriously, he wasn’t really looking at him, his gaze dropped as usual. “Ichigo, you know you can talk to me if you need to. Isshin asked me to keep an eye on you and I feel like I’m letting him down, seeing you like this. This isn’t you, hiding in corridors and acting all shy around people.”

“Sir, I assure you I will do my best with your patient and will keep you informed of any changes in his condition.”

Ukitake sighed again, this time in frustration at the situation. “Alright then, you enjoy your all-nighter. I don’t envy you at all; glad I’ve out grown that sort of thing. I will see you in the morning Ichigo.” He clapped the younger man on the shoulder as he left, shaking his head at his uselessness.

Ichigo headed to the nurses station, seeing the name written on the board and getting the room number as he lifted the iPad. He quite liked working in the private wards, they had all the toys and he was a much faster typist than he was at script. He pulled the chart up on the screen as he walked to the room, opening the door with his elbow as he took a handful of gel from the bottle on the wall to wash his hands. He closed the door behind him, blinking in the din light.

First impressions were blue, bright blue hair which made Ichigo snort. He’d got such a hard time at school for his hair; he wondered how natural the blue was. Then he took in the man’s basic stats; tall, probably over six feet. Hundred and thirty pounds probably and most of it was muscle. He wasn’t muscle bound and rippled but he clearly took care of himself. Nice strong arms came out of the white flecked hospital gown and laid on the green blanket, one with a name bracelet on it, the other with an IV going into his veins. Ichigo pulled his pen torch out of his top pocket, making a bet that the guy’s eyes matched his hair before he pulled one eyelid up, checking the pupils still worked one at a time before marking it in the chart. He had various other things to check, not too many as the patient as still unconscious and could hardly tell him where it hurt. The scar was under his left rib cage, meaning he’d had a liver bleed or something near there and he had various scrapes and cuts on his exposed skin, one right over his nose that had been steri-stripped together. He had a tube going into his mouth and it hooked up to the ventilator but according to the chart they would be removing it the next day when he was more stable. There was a note that if he was fighting it, it could be removed overnight.

Overall he seemed to be in fairly good shape for having been in a car that barrel-rolled down the street. Ichigo wondered if there was more to it than the story he’d heard from the other residents. The guy was hot; Ichigo could tell that from his extreme facial bones and his physiology. In reading his personal profile, he was only twenty nine, five years older than Ichigo, but was already at the top of his game, CEO for some company that Ichigo had heard of, but wasn’t sure what they did.

“And you just had to use your phone when you were driving eh? You seem to have it all, top job, gorgeous and by all accounts you’re loaded. Why the hell would you risk it all? And why don’t you have hands free, I’m sure you can afford it.” Ichigo sighed. “Don’t worry, I’ll not judge you. Be glad I took you from Redder, he’d probably smother you if you started to snore.”

Ichigo left him after completing all his notes and completed various other checks he had to before finding a safe quiet place for the night. A quick trip to the vending machine produced his exciting dinner, salt and vinegar were not his favourite but that was the only choice. He debated where to go to enjoy his meal when he realised he knew exactly where he could sit in peace, where no one would bother him.

Mr Jaeggerjaques turned out to be a wonderful dinner companion. Ichigo curled up on the sofa in his room, slipping off his trainers and tucking his feet up as he quietly crunched on his crisps. The first few were chewed slowly, like Ichigo was afraid a couple of potato chips would wake a man with a head trauma but then he got over it, staring at the mottled floor as he ate. He glanced up at the man, tilting his head before he pulled the iPad over again and pulled the chart up. The next of kin was a Nnoitra Gilga, relationship written that they were brothers which was strange with such different names. Odd that a high powered man, who was gorgeous, had no wife or girlfriend listed.

“Are you gay?” Ichigo crunched another crisp as he waited for nothing. “You could be, I can never tell. You hear these stories of GAYDAR but I didn’t get it when I hung up my vagina preference. Wonder if your ‘brother’ is something else entirely. I’d happily have you, unless you’re a dick. Are you a dick, Grimmjow?” Ichigo checked the first name again, having no idea if he was pronouncing it properly. “I don’t think you are, I think you’re just a bit stupid but that’s not a unique trait. You know how many dicks there are working here? Loads. This is the first time in months that I’ve had a conversation with anyone, and you’re asleep! Ok, that is pathetic. Sorry, not that it’s your fault.” Ichigo paused, dropping his head onto his hand. He crushed the empty crisp packet and shoved it into his pocket. “I’m talking to a guy in a coma like he’s my bestie.”

Ichigo stood up and walked over with his hands in his white coat pockets. He reached out a hand and neatened the blue hair, sweeping the strands to the side. “You’re not a dick are you? I bet you’re just too busy for a girlfriend or a boyfriend. Too busy to deal with all of that. Tell you what, ask me out when you’re better, I promise I’m busier than you so I’ll not bitch if we don’t see each other much. I’ll be back soon Grimm.”

Ichigo headed out, a little smile on his face as he checked on his other patients and with the on-call senior doctor. He was given the clear to get some sleep, with a reminder that Mr Jaeggerjaques was to be checked on every two hours.

That made the decision of where to sleep easy, the couch on the patient room was big enough for him and it meant that he didn’t have to worry about Aizen or his crowd coming in. A blanket was easy to snaffle and he was quickly curled on the couch, setting an alarm on his phone.

The night went well; Ichigo being grumpy at around four but his companion didn’t take it the wrong way. Ichigo chatted away, laughing at his own jokes and just being glad to let it all out for once. He complained about his schedule, his peers and his seniors. He had good things to say about some of them, Ukitake for example was a star. Unohana, one of the neuro surgeons was terrifying and the head of ortho Zaraki was clinically insane and Ichigo went through them, explaining them to Grimmjow and describing them. He took a different department with every check, nipping out for a coffee as the morning drew in. At half five he went for a wash and change in the locker room, hoping to avoid the others with being half an hour earlier than them but Tousen was there, folding his jacket as he pulled out his white coat.

“So is our text and drive guy still alive or did you off him in the night?”

Ichigo didn’t like Tousen, the quiet man giving off malevolent vibes in every direction. “He’s still stable, so is the lady. Think it’s a happy ending this time.”

“Until he does it again.”

Ichigo scarpered after he’d brushed his teeth, banana in his stomach to keep him going until he could grab something later. He’d have to time it right with not having been home to make something like normal. He had time to check on Grimmjow once more before making it to rounds on the normal floor at seven, the crowds following the various doctors as the patients are checked on. Ichigo had to run to the private floor to make it for their later rounds – private patients didn’t like the early wakeup call – and he reported to Ukitake that the night had been uneventful.

“Well that is good news; the poor man didn’t deserve this.” Ukitake walked out, taping on a tablet as he walked.

Ichigo frowned, wondering why his senior said that, chasing after him to find out. “Excuse me sir, why did you say Grimmjow didn’t deserve that?”

Ukitake turned to Ichigo with an amused smirk. “ _Grimmjow?_ I take it you two got close last night?” Ukitake chuckled at the younger man’s blush.

“Eh, I meant Mr Jaeggerjaques.”

“I know who you meant. He was heading to the gym after work when that woman ploughed into him, texting on her phone and she was pregnant too. To put your own life in that kind of danger, not to mention everyone else on the road, but to have a little life inside you, it’s insane.”

“Grimmjow wasn’t the one on his phone?”

“No, _Grimmjow_ wasn’t the one on his phone. I just hope he recovers quickly. He’s due to complete a marathon raising money for cancer research with a few friends of his. He’s going to double whatever money he brings in with sponsorship apparently. Do you want to sort out getting that tube out of his mouth? Remember and check the _other_ tubes of course, liquid is going in and out of him after all. Keep me posted but Retsu said it might be a few days before his brain is rested enough to wake up.”

“Yes sir, I’ll take care of him.” Ichigo had a smile on his face as he headed back to Grimmjow’s room, iPad under his arm as he walked. He wasn’t really looking where he was going when he tripped, over nothing he thought until he glanced back and saw Redder and Tousen with a few others walking the other way. Redder looked over his shoulder, blowing Ichigo a kiss before he turned a corner, Ichigo scowling as he walked into Grimmjow’s room.

A large sigh burst out of him, a half-smile on his face at the sight before him. “I knew you weren’t a dick.”

Ichigo had a blue sheet over Grimmjow’s chest as he carefully pulled the tube from his lungs, a little resistance was met, the larger man gagging slightly but that was a good sign, he was conscious enough to feel at least. Ichigo wiped his face down, cleaning more of the road grime and blood flecks off. “That must feel better. Those tubes hurt.” Ichigo hesitated, not wanting to go out into the hospital with the nasty people but he couldn’t stay hidden forever. “I’ll come and see you later alright. Don’t go anywhere.”

Ichigo left, dealing with other patients during his day shift. He got into surgery twice that day, spending his down time in Grimmjow’s room to escape the others. He sat quiet sometimes and others he’d chat about nonsense, talking about himself occasionally but he kept away from that mainly. And that was how the next two weeks went, Ichigo getting somewhere he felt safe to breathe and the rest of the time doing his work to the best of his abilities. Better actually he’d been told by several of the senior surgeons. His concentration was better; he was speaking up more in rounds and getting involved in more complicated cases as a result.

Good things wouldn’t last though, Aizen and his crowd not liking that their favourite punching bag and laughing stock was suddenly nowhere to be seen. They didn’t seem to put it together that Ichigo was suddenly really good at hiding around the same time as the car accident happened but he wasn’t going to tell them. Plus he was pretty sure he wasn’t supposed to be eating and studying in a patient’s room.

Grimmjow’s injuries were healing nicely, the cut on his nose was pretty much gone and the stitches had been removed from his abdomen the week before. All they were waiting for was him to open his eyes. His brain was functioning fine, just trapped in a sleep like state.

Ichigo was thinking about him a lot, wondering why he’d never seen anyone visiting the other and what he was like when he was awake. Ichigo had googled him extensively, searched for him on social network and had read everything Wikipedia had to say about him which wasn’t a lot. He’d felt a little like a stalker when he’d ended up on the man’s sister’s Facebook profile but when the pictures were of the two of them messing around even as adults it made him smile. It seemed that his patient was a good man all round and Ichigo couldn’t wait to meet him.

Ichigo’s pager tone went off again, an emergency meeting getting called for all the residents which made him run. He pushed into the room, standing at the back with a few others. Kyoraku was looking grim for a change, not really giving the residents a look. Coming from the man that invited them drinking more evenings than not it was a big change.

“Look folks, I know everyone has better places to go right now but I need you to be straight with me. I _know_ how this place works, I know you all change your shifts and your assignments internally and as long as it works we don’t have a problem with it, but now we have a problem. Who was covering the ER last night?”

Everyone looked at everyone else, Ichigo frowning and trying to remember who he’d seen on the rota. He’d had it the night Grimmjow was in, and three times since but not the night before. He had it again in two days which meant Aizen should have had it. Ichigo had to clench every muscle to stop him looking over at the other.

“Sousuke, I know you were scheduled for it but I also know you swapped it, saw you in the bar myself. Who took it?”

“Kurosaki sir,”

Ichigo immediately frowned.

“That is very strange considering Ichigo had a late surgery with Kommamuro, the records show they were in until nearly midnight. I’m talking about an incident that happened before that. Who was in charge?”

Ichigo swallowed the large lump in his throat, glad he had an alibi and Aizen couldn’t pin whatever had happened to him. There were enough residents in the room that would swear the sky was green is Aizen told them Ichigo had said otherwise.

Aizen frowned and looked around, glancing at Tousen and Redder but neither of them would look at him.

Shunsui let out an exasperated sigh. “I know it was one of you, someone’s chicken scratch is on a chart but it was never signed, that person is now in serious trouble and we are trying to track exactly what treatment was given.” The older man looked around the room, hoping someone would admit to it so he could get it over with. “Fine, then everyone who doesn’t have an iron tight _hospital_ alibi will be interviewed. If anyone wants to speak to me quietly I will understand. Dismissed.” Ichigo could tell the man was disappointed in them for not having the guts to tell the truth but even if Ichigo wanted to rat someone out, he had no idea. He had been spending too much time in Grimmjow’s room that he’d been missing all of the gossip and action in the hospital. He had been enjoying the peace.

Ichigo slipped out with others, hoping to make a clean break but he was quickly surrounded and the group tightened around him, walking into a linen cupboard together. Ichigo was thrown against the wall, the four others standing at the door. He scowled at them, straightening himself but he was the smallest in the room.

He hated it, he wasn’t even that small. Five foot nine was not short for a man but it seemed that his work was filled with five foot eleven plus men (and women) and all the martial arts lessons in his youth left him short, literally, since many of these men were also trained. A trained person against a bigger untrained one has an advantage; a small trained person against a bigger trained person just meant a longer fight and usually worse injuries.

“I have patients to see.”

“Yeah, and a surgeon’s ear to whisper in I bet.” Redder sneered at him.

Ichigo rolled his eyes. “I have no idea what Kyoraku was talking about, I was in the OR until late, then I went home. I don’t know who the patient is let alone who their doctor was. Can I go now?”

Redder walked up to him, slamming his hand onto the wall at the side of Ichigo’s head. “And when you put your feelers out, talking to all the nurses that know your dad and start putting things together you’ll figure it out, you always do. Just want to make sure you get the math right.”

Aizen appeared at Redder’s elbow, a worrying smile on his face. “Yes, we can’t have you making a mistake like that.” Aizen caught Ichigo’s wrist, pulling it up. He pulled Ichigo’s index finger up first. “One plus one,” another finger went up, “Makes two. Two plus two makes,” Aizen pulled the other fingers up, pushing the thumb out as well. He pouted for a moment. “Hang on, this isn’t right.” Aizen lashed out like the snake he was and ripped Ichigo’s little finger over to the side, snapping the bone and probably pulling the tendons as well. Redder grabbed Ichigo’s head at the same time, slapping his large hand over Ichigo’s mouth to catch the scream.

“You remember how this feels. You can do without your pinkie but I’d hate to see such a promising career go down the drain because of a little ‘accident’.” Aizen patted Ichigo’s cheek, looking up at Redder when he jerked his head, dropping Ichigo’s hand as he turned.

Ichigo grabbed his wrist with his other hand, squeezing as he tried to hold back the scream that was forming. He made a strange gurgling sound as he held it back, the veins on his face and head popping out with the strain of controlling himself. The door opened as they all left, Ichigo breathing heavily and seeing black spots appear in front of him because of it. He turned and smacked his forehead into the wall, kicking it with a foot to try and distract himself from the white hot pain in his hand. He’d broken his wrist when he was younger but the malicious break seemed to hurt more.

The door opened again and Ichigo grabbed a blue drape, holding it over his sore hand as he rushed out, keeping his red and clearly upset face turned from the nurse. He ran to the only place he knew he could break down for a moment in, slamming Grimmjow’s door closed behind him. He hurried over to the bedside, sliding down the wall and using the bed and occupant to hide himself. He sobbed and hiccupped for a moment before he calmed himself, taking a few deep breaths. He worked up to removing the drape and taking a good look at his hand, letting out a cry of horror at the fact that not only was the finger broken, it was dislocated and sticking out in the wrong direction. It needed set back in at the very least, depending on what kind of break it might even need a pin but Ichigo wasn’t able to go for help.

He balled the blue drape up, shoving it into his mouth as he closed his free hand on his other, taking a few breaths before he yanked the finger up and in, holding it against his ring finger as he screamed into the cloth. It was bad. He’d felt the bones more in a relocation before but never in his own body. He usually had the patient under a lot of medication and obviously someone else was doing the yanking. Ichigo let his head drop against the mattress at his side, taking some comfort in the other human being in the room.

“They broke my finger.” Ichigo felt the tears building, the hiccups and sobs caught in his chest under a fine wire. “They broke my finger so I wouldn’t tell on them. I don’t even have anything to tell.” The wire snapped and the sobs escaped. Ichigo turned his head into the bed to smother them a bit. “They said they’d break more if I told. I don’t know what to do.”


	2. Part two

Ichigo found out who was responsible. He didn’t intend to but being quiet and listening rather than talking got you far with things like that. It helped that he was so innocuous that people often over looked him. And not that it was a good thing, but he was reassured to learn he wasn’t the only one under Aizen’s ire. The nurses knew, of course they did. Nothing escaped them and Aizen was right, a lot of them were friendly towards him because they knew his father. A lot of doctors disregarded nurses, not that they were nasty or dismissive towards them but that they just expected them to be there and do what they were told. It wasn’t always the case however and Ichigo wondered why Kyoraku had bothered asking them when he was able to go down to the nurses’ station and just ask them. Chad was one of the male nurses, huge man with massive hands but the gentlest nature Ichigo had ever seen was one of the few the residents didn’t mess with but Ichigo actually doubted he would do anything to harm one of them. Unless he was defending a patient.

Ichigo was in an older lady’s room to remove her stitches one afternoon a couple of days after his finger had been broken and he was coping with having the injury but it still really hurt. That made him worry that the damage was worse than he’d hoped but he wasn’t able to go for help. Kenpachi would have helped him but he would have reported it and Ichigo didn’t want that. Chad was across the bed from Ichigo and handed him the scissors, Ichigo taking them with his dominant hand but then winced as he tried to put his fingers through the holes and having to trade them over to his other hand.

“Are you alright Doctor Kurosaki?” The lady was very pleasant and patient. She was looking at him with concern on her lined face.

He smiled at her, looking more like a grimace than a smile. “Yes ma’am. Just got a sore hand. I just have to take out these stitches and we can see about getting you home.” Ichigo went back to his work, sliding the thin blade under the first black thread and snipping it.

“Oh, that’s wonderful. That I’m getting home, not that you’ve hurt your hand. That must make things difficult. How did you hurt it?”

Ichigo glanced at Chad, the gentle giant looking down at him through his fringe of hair. Ichigo rotated his sore hand to put the self-applied bandage out of sight as he snipped the next stitch. “Just an accident, it’ll heal soon.”

Ichigo finished with the patient and cleared away his mess before filling the chart out. The lady was delighted that she could contact home to get picked up later that day and he left her as she was dialling on her phone. Ichigo dropped his pile of used equipment into the dirty bin and the used drapes into the contaminated bin before he dropped the chart off. He turned to go, looking straight at Chad’s chest. He went to step round but the long arm that stopped him directed him into the nurses’ room and he didn’t argue, knowing it was pointless.

Chad stood silently, holding his hand out until Ichigo put his injured one into it. Chad pulled the white sleeve back to see the white bandage around the ring and pinkie fingers with padding between them. Chad poked and prodded down the side of the hand, glancing back to Ichigo when his flinch was particularly pronounced. He pulled a pair of scissors from his chest pocket and snipped the bandage to unwrap it.

“Chad, it’s fine honestly.”

“Is it broken?” Chad dropped the bandage onto the table at their side before sliding the padding out. Ichigo had been avoiding looking at his hand too much but as Chad turned it, looking at the back of the hand and the palm, Ichigo could see the swelling and bruising on his skin. Ichigo bit back a cry as Chad bent the fingers and he stopped instantly. “Sit down, do not move.”

Ichigo pulled his hand to his chest and sat on one of the comfy chairs, feeling a tad shaky with the pain. He also felt a little ridiculous since it was just his little finger.

Chad returned with a scowling bald man, Ikkaku Madarame being one of Kenpachi’s attendings and therefore a bone expert. He raised an eyebrow at Ichigo before holding his hand out. He wasn’t nearly as gentle as Chad had been but he did soften a bit when Ichigo cried out. “What the fuck did you do?”

Ichigo glanced between to two men, dropping his gaze. “Caught it in a safety rail I was pulling up, thought it was stuck so I gave it a yank.”

“And you thought it was a good idea to relocate the bone yourself and not get an x-ray? I checked when Chad told me just now, you’ve not seen anyone about this have you?”

Ichigo shrunk a little, hating that he had to be so small figuratively in that place. “I, was embarrassed.”

“Hmmm, I’m not surprised. You seem to be very accident prone with all the falls and drops you have. And you want to go and work with babies and children. Please don’t drop them; their bones are a pain to work with. Anyway we’ll be getting an x-ray for this and if you are very lucky it will just be a cast and not surgery for it.”

Ichigo stood, taking his hand back. “It’s fine honestly, I can’t do anything with a cast on. I’ll be fine with a bandage.”

Ikkaku’s scowl deepened. “Are you really that thick? It’s your hand, the thing that goes inside people, tiny people for you. You need all the movement and dexterity you can get. Why are you willing to risk losing it?”

Ichigo sighed, looking out the door to catch an unfriendly gaze. He dropped his eyes instantly, his back tensing and his jaw clenching. He stood silently for a moment before he spoke up again. “I didn’t want to get it on my record. I didn’t want to make a fuss.”

Ikkaku closed his eyes. “Come on boy, I’ll take you up to Ken’s lab. That way you’ll skip the x-ray queue and the fuss there. He’s got everything I’ll need to cast you up but if it needs surgery then there is nothing I can do alright?”

Ichigo followed the senior doctor, Chad clapping him on the shoulder as he passed. He was heading for the elevator when the head trauma surgeon caught him, Kyoraku calling out to him. “Kurosaki, you free?”

Ichigo turned, glancing at Ikkaku as he paused as well. “No, he’s not. He’s with me.”

“Can you spare him Madarame? I’ve got a kid in trauma room 2 and I could do with a hand.”

“Find someone else boss.” Ikkaku turned and started walking again until he realised Ichigo hadn’t started moving yet. Kyoraku had a hold of his upper arm and Ichigo had frozen. Ikkaku lifted the hand up, showing the clear injury to the department head. “He is the patient here and I’m off to take care of him alright, find someone else.” Kyoraku let go of Ichigo stumbling over an apology and asking Ichigo to let him know if he was alright later on. Ichigo nodded, keeping his head down as he followed Ikkaku into the lift.

“Who is it?”

Ichigo glanced up at the slightly taller male, Ikkaku leaning back on the wall with his arms crossed. He wasn’t looking directly at Ichigo and his arms were crossed over his front. “Who is what?”

“The person or persons who are giving you shit. Someone is picking on you kid, your body language is screaming it. I didn’t see who you spotted out of the door to the nurses’ room but you might have well have a sign over your head. Did they break your finger?”

Ichigo stiffened, eyes wide and breath starting to come faster. He was still looking at the floor and was terrified to look up. “I don’t know what you mean.”

Ikkaku snorted, pushing off the wall as they reached the correct floor. Ichigo followed after him, Ikkaku holding the door to the bones lab for him to go in. Kenpachi was working a power sander in the dust booth, shaping an implant and Yumichika was scraping at a mould he had made. Kenpachi banged at the glass when he spotted Ichigo, Ichigo waving back as he took a seat over at the small x-ray machine they had. Yumichika wandered over as Ikkaku set him up for his picture.

Yumichika was one of the few doctors who were around Ichigo’s height plus he was actually delicate with it as well. Very long fingers and delicate bone structure hid his true strength and most people doubted his chosen speciality since the burly Kenpachi was more the stereotypical orthosurgeon with the visible strength to haul bones apart and back together again. “Oh my, what have you been up to Ichigo?” Yumichika pulled the lead separator over, surrounding Ichigo and the machine as Ikkaku stepped out after throwing the lead groin pad at the younger man. The x-ray clunked a couple of times as if took the images before it was pushed away and the separator pushed to the side.

“He’s getting picked on but isn’t willing to point the finger.” Ikkaku retrieved a reusable ice pack from the fridge/freezer they had, clicking the separator before holding it against the back of Ichigo’s hand.

Yumichika arched a manicured eyebrow at him, looking down since he was still standing. “Oh right, and let us think who that could be. Who was around that day you fell off your seat in the cafeteria. And who else was working the night your labs were misplaced? You think other people hadn’t noticed?”

Ichigo’s face flushed, hating that his secret was out for everyone to see. “And what the hell am I supposed to do about it? You noticed and didn’t do anything, probably so has everyone.”

“Yes but it is one thing to ignore pranks and a bit of hazing, if they are endangering patients and now resorting to physical abuse? We can’t ignore that. Ichigo if they’d picked a different finger you might have been looking for a new career.” Ikkaku had plugged the board into the machine to scan for his image. It would appear on the screen when it was done and didn’t take long now it was digital.

“Yeah, they knew that too. Said they would next time.”

“ _They?_ So it’s more than one then. You know you can go to Director Aizen? He’ll listen to you.” Ikkaku’s frown hadn’t lifted yet and he seemed to be taking Ichigo’s bullying personally.

Ichigo couldn’t stop the snort from escaping, clapping his free hand over his mouth at the volume of it.

Yumichika sighed, running his fingers through Ichigo’s soft orange spikes. “He won’t listen if it’s his son that is the perpetrator, isn’t that right Ichigo? Redder might be the one doing most of the visible stuff but that’s only because Aizen is too smart to be caught.”

“Aizen was the one who ripped my finger over.” Ichigo looked straight up, blinking furiously to stop the forming tears getting too far.

Yumichika wrapped an arm around the other’s shoulders. Ichigo was broader than him and it felt odd to have the smaller man round him but it was nice. “Go to the Chief then, he is over the director after all. He’ll stand up for you. You can’t let this happen anymore.”

“I’ve got a year and a half then I can get my fellowship somewhere else. I don’t want to do anything that would antagonise them. He’s got all of the residents against me; everyone would back him up against me so it would be my voice against fourteen others. Even the chief wouldn’t go against all of them.” Ichigo sighed and shrunk in on himself again, shoulders bowed in and his chin down.

The image came up, Ikkaku pointing out the chipped bone from either the dislocation or Ichigo’s relocation as well as the crack further down. “You’ve a shit load of ligament damage as well but it doesn’t need surgery at least. Three weeks in a cast I’m afraid. How’s the pain at night? Need anything?”

“No, honestly I can cope with it. And thanks for taking care of me. I’m sorry to have bothered you with all this.”

Ikkaku traded a glance at Yumichika, the smaller male rolling his eyes at him. “You know we hoped you’d be joining up in ortho. You’ve got the strength and you’re good with your hands. If you’re ever looking to specialise with baby bones let Ken know, he’s got a few contacts that would take you on. Let’s get you cast up. Any colour in particular?”

Ichigo ate his sandwich in Grimmjow’s room, his black cast resting on the arm of the sofa as he chewed. “I told Ikkaku and Yumi that happened, kind of. They got it out of me really but it was nice to have someone listen. Not that you don’t of course Grimm. You know I didn’t even consider ortho? And I was good in craft at school, good with tools but it didn’t even cross my mind. Might have been better there, at least they want me there and seem to care about each other. Kuchiki barely tolerates me on paeds but he seems to respect by abilities at least. Well I hope so.” Ichigo finished up and brushed his hand on his scrub covered leg. He stood and walked over to Grimmjow’s bed, perching on the side for a moment. “You ever going to wake up Grimm? I’d like to talk to you, well you to talk to me really. Well, there is always the possibility that you’ll not even like me so maybe this is better. Think it’ll break my heart to know we don’t get on. Promise me something? That we could go for a cup of coffee, just once? I was never really your doctor so it’s not like we have to worry about that.”

Ichigo played with the arm at his side, running his hand up and down the pale skin. It was cool under his fingers and it made Ichigo pull the blanket up further. “Why doesn’t anyone come to visit you Grimm? Have you not got a family? What about your brother? I feel like calling him just to insist you had someone other than me complaining at you to keep you company. Actually, is that why you won’t wake up? Is it cos I’m always whining at you?” Ichigo chuckled as he stood. “Anyway I’ll see you for dinner alright?”

Ichigo sighed as he walked out; he was getting to close to the strange man in the bed wondering if Florence nightingale syndrome was hitting him. He was stopped in the corridor by Kyoraku and he showed the man his cast and told him the bullshit story of catching it in a safety rail. He was sure the other doubted him but there wasn’t anything he could do about it.

“Kurosaki, another thing. Have you heard anything about the incident two nights ago? I know you tend to keep your ear to the ground?”

Ichigo cleared his throat, glancing down and to the side to see Tousen standing not far, staring at him. His eyes widened and he pulled his gaze away. “No sir, I haven’t heard anything.”

“Hmm, it’s strange. A man comes into the ER with a stomach complaint then ends up in the ICU with a brain bleed and heart complications, none of which were even diagnosed in the initial check-up. If you happen to hear anything you make sure and let me know alright?”

“Sir, have you tried asking the nurses? Surely they would be a better source than me.” Ichigo couldn’t stop his glance back over, seeing that Redder had joined Tousen. He felt the sweat gather at his creases and knew he had to make an escape before he started to hyperventilate. He cursed his weakness and fear as he made his excuses and scarpered away, feeling light headed as he bolted, going the long way but eventually ending up in Grimmjow’s room. He slammed the door closed, holding his free hand to his chest to try and calm his breathing and his heart rate. He leaned his head against the door with his eyes closed as he normalised, glancing over at the bed to see the sleeping figure exactly as he’d left him, blanket still high over him to keep him warm.

“You alright kid?”

Ichigo nearly had a heart attack as the voice sounded in his silent escape room and he glanced around, seeing an extremely tall black haired men sitting on his sofa flicking through a magazine.

“Who are you?” Ichigo kind of blurted it out, so shocked to see another being in the room.

“I’m Nnoitra Gilga, I’m his brother. Are you Grimmjow’s doc?” The man stood and walked over, Ichigo swallowing at the extreme height difference.

“Not exactly, I’ve been kind of looking after him, checking him and so on for the last couple of weeks.” Ichigo stared at the hand extended out towards him and he took it with his cast hand, the other raising an eyebrow at the injury and shaking it the best way he could.

“Doctor?”

“Sorry, Ichigo Kurosaki.”

“Doctor Kurosaki, how is he? The nurse said she was going to get the doctor to come in and see me, I just didn’t think it would have been at a run.”

Ichigo flushed, looking at his feet. “No, I was just checking on him again. You’re his first visitor and I didn’t want him to be lonely.” Yeah, Ichigo knew how stupid that sounded after he’d finished.

Nnoitra snorted, scratching his cheek. “Well we wouldn’t want the lazy sucker to get lonely would we? I was away when he was hit, just got back today. The fucker wouldn’t have like me dropping out of a work thing just to babysit his ass. Glad to know he’s not been alone. Any idea when the other doctor will be here?”

Just as Nnoitra asked the door behind Ichigo rattled, Ichigo stepping away before it hit him. He assumed it would have been Doctor Ukitake to speak to the brother or Unohana because of the head injury but when Aizen and co stood in the door he knew his hiding place had been found.

“Told you he would be here. Is this where you’ve been hiding? Even the fucking vegetables can’t get peace from you eh?” Redder wasn’t exactly the sharpest knife in the drawer and had clearly no noticed the other in the room.

Ichigo jumped back automatically when Redder reached for him but Aizen caught Redder’s hand having noticed the tall thin stranger.

“Who the fuck are you calling a vegetable? When I called the hospital they told me he was going to be fine. Is that why this is taking so long? Someone answer me or they’ll be looking at some hospital bed time.” Nnoitra wasn’t happy about the hostility in his brother’s room, the nice young doctor that came in first clearly unhappy as well.

Ichigo turned to the brother, stepping to the side to stay out of arms reach of the others. “No Mr Gilga, Doctor Redder was just joking. In poor taste I assure you. Mr Jaeggerjaques has just a bruise on his brain that is healing. He will wake up any day now.”

Redder muttered and apology to the visitor before sneering at Ichigo. “Can we have a word outside _Doctor_ Kurosaki?”

“He was speaking to me.” Nnoitra walked up to the young doctor’s side, not liking the three who’d burst in.

“We’ll wait then.” Aizen smiled greasily at the taller man before exiting, his cronies following and shutting the door. Ichigo let out a blast of air in relief.

“Well? I take it they are the resident dickheads?”

Ichigo snorted. “You have no idea.”

“Sooo, when you say you’ve been checking up on my brother, have you really just been hiding out?”

Ichigo dropped his head, ashamed to have to admit it. “Yeah, I have taken care of Grimmjow though. The nurses are great here but they are quite thin on the ground.”

“Where can I put in a complaint then? You look like you could do with some back up.”

“You know the brown haired one? Well you would have to go to his dad to complain.”

“Ah, so you’re up a shit creek without a paddle. Sorry kid.”

Ukitake came in a second later, frowning for a second when he saw Ichigo but he smiled at the family member as Ichigo made his exit. He glanced around and it looked clear so he ventured out, heading to the ER to report in for a task. He made it round the corner before he was snatched and pushed into a supply cupboard, the door getting locked from the outside once he was in.

“So, what were you singing into Kyoraku’s ear earlier? And Madarame? I saw you crying to him about your finger as well.”

“Aizen broke and dislocated my finger; did you think it would just get better by itself? And I didn’t go to Madarame, he came to me. And no I didn’t say a fucking word about the fact that you were asleep in an on-call room when your patient was bleeding into his skull.”

“Knew you couldn’t keep your nose in check. So, how long have I got before Kyoraku is pulling me up.” Redder grabbed Ichigo’s scrub front, pulling the smaller man to his tip toes.

“I didn’t say anything to him either, even though he asked me all the right questions. Look, as far as I can see the guy is going to live so as least you won’t be held accountable for wrongful death but if you think you’re going to get away with it then you are more stupid than I thought. The nurses know, the guy will be able to identify the red pony tail and the shaved head when he wakes up. The longer you let it go on the worse it’s going to get for you.”

Redder slammed Ichigo against the wall, Ichigo wincing from the pain in his back. “You know I can’t leave too much physical evidence, more is the pity because I’d love to yank your shoulder out, feel what it’s like to do it in reverse for once. Maybe I’ll just crack some ribs this time. Or some toes. Maybe when I’m an ortho god I’ll know exactly how to do it without too much damage but right now it’ll just hurt.”

Ichigo snorted, knowing he wasn’t escaping without some injury and there wasn’t anything he could say to minimise it. “I know Zaraki is insane but even he won’t touch you. And Maderame and Ayasegawa will destroy you if you try anything like this with them.”

“Those fags will not touch me, they wouldn’t dare.” Redder’s eyes lit up. “Hang on, is that why he helped you? Is Maderame getting something from you? Didn’t think you’d go for bald Kurosaki. Do you prefer cock then?” He gave Ichigo a shake then, Ichigo hitting his head on the wall hard.

“Get to fuck Redder.”

“Sounds good.”

Ichigo’s struggles increased, he lashed out with his cast and clipped Redder on the temple to make him grunt. He threw Ichigo to the side, to impact on the metal shelves with a bang. Redder grabbed a roll of tubular bandage and wrestled with Ichigo for a moment before tying it tightly round his head, gagging him. Ichigo started to fight like a wildcat, not caring about anyone hearing now or about minimising injuries. If he was going to treated like that then he was going to give all he could back.

Ichigo clawed at the other, aiming for weak points and landing hits as often as he could. Redder over powered him and had him pinned to the floor after a while, a bleeding set of fingernail scratches down his neck had made him lose his temper.

“You know, we’ve always gone out of our way to make sure you’ve never looked like a beaten housewife, even if you act that way. We’ve always made sure you’ve been able to hide it like you clearly want to. Let’s see how you act after this.”

Ichigo bucked his back up; his free hand caught up at his back with one of Redder’s hands as the other shoved Ichigo’s white coat up and fumbled with the elasticated waist band on his scrubs. It pulled down too easily and Ichigo increased his struggles more, screaming through the elastic bandaging as loud as he could. He heard a banging on the door; clearly a signal to the man over him and Redder grabbed a handful of orange hair tightly. “Shut your mouth or I’ll fill it with something else. I can be nice from now or really nasty, you decide.”

Ichigo twisted and turned, feeling the pain from his body at the extremes he was throwing it through and he managed to get his pelvis to turn, the man over him falling to the side into a set of shelves, knocking them to the floor. The door opened, Aizen appearing with a frown.

“Move, leave him.”

Redder got up quickly, giving Ichigo a kick before he scarpered.

Ichigo fell to the ground flat, every inch of him shaking like crazy. He eased his arm round and he pushed himself up gently. Everything hurt and as he eased his trousers up he groaned slightly at the pain in his shoulders. He pulled the bandage off his head, moving his jaw around and wincing. He felt around his mouth knowing the skin was bruised and wondering how he was going to explain it.

Ichigo got himself up and righted the fallen shelves, flinching when the pain got too much. His pager tone went off but after checking that it was just a general page for anyone to respond he ignored it. He wouldn’t have been much use anyway. Bending to collect the fallen supplies hurt, stretching up to his toes to replace the blankets hurt. Using the scissors from his pocket to cut the soggy part off the elastic bandage hurt as well and he looked at his hand better. His finger nails had blood under them and he’d bend a few of them back. It made him feel good that Redder would probably have a scar from him. He had plenty from all of them, even if they were just mental.

Ichigo wanted somewhere to run to but Grimmjow’s room was out of bounds now, he had someone after all. He wondered about heading back to Kenpachi’s lab but even the mental ortho god would report this.

He was close to the private hospital entrance and he might be able to get outside, dash to the nearby restaurant and use their restrooms to clean himself up. Ichigo looked around the cupboard to get some supplies, finding wipes and a couple of disposable ice packs he could toss afterwards. He filled his pockets before scrubbing his hair a bit, ducking his head to hide his face before making a break for it.

He almost reached the door when he spotted Nnoitra standing outside with a cigarette in his hand, Ichigo changing his mind and diving into Grimmjow’s room to use his private bathroom as well as see the man one last time.

Ichigo didn’t even glance at the bed, stupidly hiding his face from it as he went straight into the bathroom, stopping dead as two faces turned his way.

Ichigo felt all the blood drain from his head as he locked eyes with piercing blue ones, dark blue eyebrows that he’d stroked frowning down at him. Ichigo also happened to notice that the man who should have been asleep in the bed was completely naked and standing in the wet room under the shower where Chad was helping him stand to wash himself.

Chad tipped his head back, frowning at first before concern came over his face. “Ichigo?”

Ichigo stepped backwards, hoping for a quick exit but his head spun and he had to grab the sink unit to keep his feet.

“ _Ichigo?_ ” Grimmjow’s voice sent goose bumps all over Ichigo’s failing body, Grimmjow glancing at the nurse helping him before turning back to the younger doctor. “You’re Ichigo who’s been taking care of me?”

Ichigo couldn’t answer, glancing in the mirror at his side and taking in the mess he looked. His hair was a mess, his skin too pale and he had dark red bruises at the side of his mouth as well as a red lump turning black at his temple. He looked back at the others and he swallowed tightly, locked in gaze with the blue eyes. He didn’t get to reply as his body rebelled, shutting down as it struggled to cope with the trauma and shock. Neither man in the shower could do anything to stop Ichigo’s descent to the floor but he heard them both shout his name before it all went black.


	3. Chapter 3

Part Three

It took Grimmjow a few minutes of looking around to figure out where he was. Everything was a little fuzzy in his head and even blinking didn’t quite seem to clear his eyesight. The room he was in was a good size, nicely decorated and he could see his tall brother standing at the end of his bed, talking to another man with long white hair.

He listened to the voice of the other man, but it didn’t match the voice that had been speaking to him for days. The smooth, deep voice had told him so much but nothing to give him even the slightest clue what the owner looked like. Which was a shame as Grimmjow was almost certain that he was falling in love with that voice. He was funny, kind, shy and smart and Grimmjow couldn’t think of any other qualities he’d want in a guy, except perhaps long legs ending in a perfect ass but even that was negotiable.

Grimmjow tried to make sense of the words being said but he struggled, sitting up to lean in. His brain felt like it exploded, the whole room taking a nose dive to the left and then kept spinning. Grimmjow couldn’t help but empty the lining out of his stomach, moaning around the retches before he fell back, breathless and still heaving slightly.

“Shit,”

He understood that word, his brother always having a colourful vocabulary and he chuckled with his eyes closed as he felt the two men approaching him.

“Mr Jaeggerjaques, can you hear me?”

Grimmjow moaned as light was shined in his eyes, turning away from it as the world tilted on its axis again, his liver threatening to come up through his mouth that time. “Yeah, get that god damn light out of my face.” He brushed the hand away, blinking as he looked up at his brother.

“Yo, you look like crap.”

“I’m not a mirror Bro.” Grimmjow sniggered as Nnoitra scowled at him before he rolled at his eyes at the fact that his little brother was still a pain in his ass, even when he wasn’t well.

“Are you still feeling nauseous?”

Grimmjow looked over at the doctor on his other side, shaking his head slightly. “Not really, except from the smell I made. Can I get a shower?”

The doctor frowned. “I’d rather you stayed in bed and we got one of the nurses to wash you.”

“Sponge bath Bro, can you request a particular type?” Nnoitra winked at him with his creepy grin spread.

“No, please, I really want to wash properly. And it’ll give someone the chance to change these sheets.” Grimmjow slowly sat up, holding his aching head in one hand.

“Fine, but not alone I’m afraid. I can get a male nurse to accompany you into the shower unless a family member is willing to help.” The doctor looked over at Nnoitra who snorted loudly.

“I remember giving this squirt a bath when he was younger, fucker would never sit still. I’m out.”

Grimmjow rolled his eyes, regretting it when it hurt a little. “God, I was three. You wouldn’t play with me.” Nnoitra just grinned, saying he was heading out for a smoke.

Grimmjow was helped into the shower room by a very large male nurse named Chad. Grimmjow felt fairly safe in his hands, that the man could catch him if he fell but he did walk to the shower under his own power with just an elbow hold to keep him steady. The hospital gown was stripped off and put in a pile under the basin before the nurse put the shower on. Grimmjow was mildly embarrassed at having another man in his shower that wasn’t his lover but it wasn’t high on the worst thing that had happened. His thoughts drifted to the voice he’d been listening to. He knew the name, Ichigo Kurosaki and he had a rough judgement of the man’s age as well from listening to him talk about his education and his level. It did mean Grimmjow was older but not obscenely. He estimated his dream man was around twenty four which made him four years younger, perhaps five since Grimmjow’s birthday was soon.

“Mr Jaeggerjaques, is the water alright?”

“I think you can call me Grimmjow, since we’re in the shower.” He chuckled and was glad when the nurse joined him. “And yeah, it’s fine. Can you tell me how long I’ve been asleep?”

“Nearly three weeks. The doctor will talk to you more when you’re cleaned up.”

The door burst open and a new doctor stood just inside, bright orange hair being the first thing that stood out to Grimmjow sitting proudly on his head. Grimmjow noticed quickly that the doctor wasn’t alright though, his face badly bruised and he was favouring his side. The nurse clearly recognised him and said the name of the man who’d been keeping him company for three weeks.

“ _Ichigo?”_ Grimmjow was so shocked that his mystery man had come in quite so dramatically and looked so beaten. The man in question clearly wasn’t well however and as he stepped back he didn’t quite make it, falling to the floor and rattling his head off the ceramic sink.

The two men in the shower froze initially, shocked by what had just happened before they moved to help.

Chad turned the shower off, grabbing the two towels he’d put on the rail to the side. “I’m just going to sit you on the toilet lid so I can check on him alright?” He wrapped one towel round Grimmjow’s waist and draped the other around his shoulders. After closing the toilet, Grimmjow was guided onto his backside to sit and watch.

Ichigo was lying in a heap, out cold still so Chad first straightened him out, gently feeling the limbs to see if they were injured in any way. He checked for a pulse, checked his breathing before looking at his obvious injuries.

“Is he alright? Can I do anything?” Grimmjow hated feeling helpless and he hadn’t imagined his first meeting with Ichigo being like that.

“Can you pull the red cord? I don’t want to leave you to go and get help for him. For all I know, you’ll fall and join him on the floor.”

“Is he Ichigo Kurosaki?” Grimmjow stretched out his hand and pulled the emergency call.

“Yes, how do you know his name?” Chad was still checking Ichigo for injuries, checking his cast, hips and ribs.

“He’s been talking to me when I was asleep. Feel like I know everything about him. This was those fucks that broke his finger, isn’t it?”

Chad brushed the hair off his forehead, eyes wide as he stared at the patient. He knew Ichigo had been having problems with some of the other residents but he hadn’t imagined that it had some to this. Then again his explanation of the broken fingers was a bit weak.

A female nurse knocked on the door before opening it. “Hello, the alarm has been set off.”

“Orihime, get some help and a gurney, Doctor Kurosaki is hurt.”

The girl pushed all the way into the room to see what was going on. “What happened?”

“I don’t know, he walked in like this.” Chad was glad the girl didn’t ask any more questions before going for help. Two doctors in white coats came back with her, alone with the wheeled bed and Ichigo was quickly lifted onto it. They paused in Grimmjow’s room to do a couple of checks and Chad lifted Grimmjow’s dressing gown to give him some dignity before bringing him through. Grimmjow recognised the doctor who’d been in his room when he woke up as one of the ones helping Ichigo but the younger doctor was a stranger, even if it felt like he should know him.

“Chad, who’s the other doctor?” Grimmjow was sat on his bed and chad stayed with him.

“That’s Doctor Redder with Doctor Ukitake.”

Grimmjow felt hostility gather inside him and he stood, his muscles tense as he recognised the name from Ichigo’s stories. “Get him away from Ichigo, he’s one of the ones who broke his finger, that have been making his life hell for three years and probably responsible for the state he’s in.”

“Are you sure?”

Grimmjow just rolled his eyes, walking forward and feeling much stronger on his own feet that he did a moment ago. He reached the gurney in a few steps and he grabbed the younger doctor’s arm. He turned with a scowl, everyone in the room now staring at Grimmjow for his actions.

“Get your hands off him; you’re the one that did this.”

“Mr Jaeggerjaques, I have to protest. Doctor Redder is one of the residents here.” Doctor Ukitake came round to the side with Redder and Grimmjow. “You need to get back in bed and let us take care of our doctor.”

“You mean like he did when he broke Ichigo’s finger? Or when he pulled the chair out from under him in the cafeteria? When he changed Ichigo’s drug orders for a patient? Him and his friends have been terrorising Ichigo for years and I would bet good money that _those_ were cause by Ichigo trying to stop him doing whatever he was doing. Does Ichigo have blood under his fingernails?” Grimmjow pointed at the still very red and angry scratches down Redder’s neck, Redder slapping his hand over them but it was too late.

The nurse Orihime lifted Ichigo’s hand, holding it up when she saw the broken and bloody fingernails on it. “There is, he’s dug them into someone recently.”

Doctor Ukitake turned on Redder with a fierce scowl, Redder backing up with his hands up. “You have been abusing one of your fellow residents? Broke his finger and attacked him?”

“I didn’t break his finger.” Redder was panicked and was glancing between the three men in the room.

“No, but you held him while your friend Aizen did though didn’t you?”

“Aizen?” Ukitake turned to Grimmjow. “How do you know all this?”

Grimmjow pointed at Ichigo. “He told me. He’s been hiding out in my room since I came here, since _he_ dumped me onto him the first night. Ichigo told me I’d be better with him anyway, since Redder and his crew would have smothered me in my sleep. Oh, and who the fuck were you calling a vegetable?”

Redder’s face went white, the man trembling as he stood. Ukitake was a kind and gentle man but he was fiercely protective of those he cared about. “You will take yourself to the residents’ locker room. You will wait there until the chief comes for you or there will be a police car at your residence before you get there. Do I make myself clear?” Redder nodded like his head was going to fall off before he scarpered. Ukitake let out a deep sigh before turning back to the young man on the bed beside him. “You’ve always been trouble boy. Mr Jaeggerjaques, bed, now.”

Grimmjow did as he was told, Chad pulling up the side rails in case he got dizzy again. Ukitake and Nurse Orihime pushed the gurney out in time for Nnoitra to see, the taller man coming in the room with a frown.

“What the hell happened in the length of time it took me to have a smoke?”

“Did you meet Ichigo Kurosaki? The orange haired doctor?” Grimmjow nodded his thanks at Chad as he settled against his pillows. Nnoitra walked up to the bed side to look down at his little brother. He did think the younger man was looking better, if a bit wound up.

“You mean the one flaked out on the bed that just got wheeled out? Yeah, he’s been hiding out in here for a while. Seems there is a bunch of dick head doctors picking on him, they came in here just before you woke up trying to get him to come out for ‘a word’. Didn’t like them and I kept him in with me for a little bit. What happened to him?”

“Well, we don’t actually know. He burst in on me having a shower looking like crap. The Doc is away to find out. I think they might have got a hold of him after he left. He looked beat to hell. Poor kid.”

Nnoitra grinned at his little brother. “Fancy a man in a white coat? Change for you anyway. You usually go for them as dumb as shit.”

“Fuck you; he’s just really cool and nice. Hell I don’t know if he’s even like that. Or interested in me.” Grimmjow humphed as he realised that in all of his conversation, Ichigo didn’t mention a preference or past significant others in enough detail to make an assumption.

“He’s like that, and he’s interested. Just to let you know.” Chad was filling in things on the iPad in the corner and the other two had almost forgotten he was still here.

Grimmjow’s grin came out, quirking an eyebrow at his brother before he settled down. “Can you let me know how he’s doing Chad? And anything you hear about the dick head abusers?”

“Technically I can’t discuss another patient with you Grimmjow and I definitely can’t tell you anything about internal issues, I’m sorry. The floor is still to be cleaned since you were sick sir, I’ll have a couple of orderlies come in and take care of it alright?”

Grimmjow nodded, thanking the nurse for everything before he left. Grimmjow wasn’t feeling great and still hadn’t heard anything about what was wrong with him or if he was even alright. His doctor was away doctoring another doctor which was amusing to think about but it left Grimmjow wondering what was going on.

“Doc said your thick skull protected your brain for the most part but will need some time to normalise. Also said you might be dizzy for a bit.”

Grimmjow snorted, the smell of his vomit was still in the room.

“You had a bleed on your liver, hence the knarly new scar but it’s all fixed. Was just waiting for you to wake your lazy ass up really. You need another scan and a meet with the brain doc before you’re cleared to go home. You basically slept your surgery recovery away, which is the good news.”

“Going to need some serious gym time to recover the muscle loss though. I can feel my shoulders and thighs aren’t the same.”

“Maybe you could use this to realise that you don’t need a hard and lumpy body? Some of us enjoy the sleeker, easier to maintain form.”

Grimmjow laughed hard at that. “You’ve always been jealous that I can hold more muscle than you. Don’t turn it around like it’s a bad thing.”

“So, about this kid doctor; you going to go for it?”

“I’m going to give it a go. God you know it’s been a long time since I could hold a relationship down. He’s the one that said it: he’s actually busier than me so maybe he won’t dump me for not being around that much.”

“And maybe you’ll actually get laid; god knows it’s been long enough. You’re a pain on the ass when your celibate.”

“Just because you’ve got a fuck toy doesn’t mean we all do.”

The door opened and two young looking males paused after hearing the last statement, both looking at each other in shock. One held a bucket and mop while the other had a roll of blue paper and they glanced between the two men in the room, shrugging before they got on with their task. Grimmjow glanced up at Nnoitra who sucked his teeth for a second before he wandered over to the sofa to get out of the way.

“Mizuiro, what were you saying about Doctor Kurosaki?”

_iiiii_

Ichigo knew he was in a hospital bed when he was coming round. He knew the feeling of them by heart after stealing naps on them over the last few years. He processed what hurt in the order of importance, his hips and back taking second place to his thumping head. His shoulder hurt, his face ached and his fingers were nipping which was odd. Every muscle was complaining in some way and he knew he’d been given some sort of pain medication so it was definitely going to get worse.

He blinked his eyes a few times, surprised to see himself in one of the private rooms. It wasn’t overly unusual for one of the staff to end up there if getting surgery as it freed a bed in the regular hospital but he was just hurt. He felt the tube in the back of his hand and glanced above himself to see the stand at his side, two bags hanging on it and filtering into his system. Looking around he recognised the layout easily but he was shocked by the body on the sofa at the side, mildly amused by the role reversal as Grimmjow sat reading a newspaper in a pair of pyjamas with a pair of black rimmed glasses on the end of his nose. Ichigo watched him for a moment, the man easily handling the broadsheet and it wasn’t until Grimmjow glanced up to check on him that he even noticed Ichigo was awake.

The paper was abandoned, the glasses being shed as he walked over. A crooked grin from above made Ichigo blush and return the smile. “Hey, nice to see you awake.”

Ichigo snorted. “That should be my line surely. What are you doing here, shouldn’t you be in bed?”

Grimmjow grinned, hands itching to run through the soft orange hair. “Probably. Not really used to taking orders I’m afraid. And I thought I’d return the favour. You kept me company after all.”

Ichigo paled quickly, realising what he meant. “You knew I was there? The whole time?”

“Yup, heard every word. Even felt you playing with my hair.”

“I’m so sorry Mr Jaeggerjaques, it was inappropriate.”

Grimmjow gave into the want to touch the other, stroking the fine, thick hair. He felt Ichigo respond which widened his smile. “I didn’t say I was complaining did I? I wanted to meet you the second I woke up. Didn’t think it’d be in my shower though.” Grimmjow kept playing with the orange hair, loving the return of the blush to the other’s skin. He’d been far too pale lying on the gurney in Grimmjow’s room.

Ichigo stammered over an apology but Grimmjow wouldn’t hear it. Grimmjow lifted the hand closest to it, pecking a light kiss next to the IV port. “No complaints from me. And I’d love to get a coffee with you, or dinner? And no, I won’t take no for an answer.”

Grimmjow stroked the hair once more before heading over to the door. “I will come back to see you but I said I’d let Doctor Ukitake know as soon as you woke up. He said I may as well make myself useful since I was here anyway. Feel better, you can tell me what happened later alright? I’ll look forward to hearing your voice.”

Ichigo blinked as he dealt with what had just happened. His crush/patient/hiding place had just hit on him, kissed his hand and asked him out all on the same day he’d been attacked. He thought it was amusing that he’d barely been able to get a word in during the conversation, especially since he’d been the one speaking for three weeks but he felt a little stronger knowing he had someone, even as new and exciting as it was, to support him a little through what had just happened. He wasn’t stupid and he hadn’t hit his head that hard. He was glad Grimmjow hadn’t asked him for details of what had happened to land him in the bed as he didn’t think he’d have been able to handle telling him then his superiors all in the same hour. He’d tell Grimmjow, just not when it was so raw.

He couldn’t believe Redder was willing to go that far and it scared him to think what else they would do. Especially with him vulnerable in the bed like he was. He regretted Grimmjow leaving then, realising that even though the other was recovering and wouldn’t be able to physically so much, his presence was a safe place, the others would never attack him if he wasn’t alone.

The door opened and Ichigo jumped, pressing himself up against the headboard as he stared at the person coming in. Doctor Ukitake held out his hands gently, trying to reassure Ichigo that he wasn’t there to hurt him. “Easy Ichigo, calm down. You’ve got a concussion and some serious bruising on your back so please don’t move around too much.”

“I’m alright sir, honestly.”

“After being physically attacked in a linen closet and after getting your finger violently dislocated by a member of staff you’re alright? After being mentally abused for months you’re just _alright_? Why wouldn’t you tell me Ichigo? Your dad is on his way in by the way and he is really not impressed that his son was getting treated this way. The Chief is on his way here and _he_ is really upset that one of his residents was under such duress. Why would you carry this by yourself?”

Ichigo flushed, tucking his chin down. “How could I have done anything? It was stupid stuff, hazing and stuff that just went too far. His dad is my boss and everyone just flocked to him. God sometimes I even second guessed myself.”

Ukitake raised a white eyebrow. “Yes I know. Your new bodyguard has been very eloquent about exactly what has been going on. It turns out that he has an excellent memory as well as good hearing. You couldn’t tell me but you spoke to a patient about it all?”

“Sir, I spoke to a wall. There just happened to be a sleeping man against it. I didn’t think he could hear me. It was nice though, nice to finally be able to let it all out.”

“If you’d have come to me months ago and ‘let it all out’ we could have prevented this!”

“Could have prevented Redder from falling asleep on his night shift? Then prevented him trying to rape me in a linen cupboard to keep me quiet? These things would have still happened.”

Ukitake was shocked, he hadn’t known the full purpose of the attack and he covered his mouth with his hand. Ichigo was angry when he’d blurted it out, hating that he was getting blamed for it all for not speaking. He had been planning to keep the try intention of the cupboard assault to himself to save face a little.

“He tried to, _sexually_ assault you?”

“He didn’t want to leave any physical marks, but wanted to warn me from telling anyone.” Ichigo spoke with his eyes trained on the blanket over him.

“And you weren’t going to tell anyone were you? Except your unconscious new best friend. Ichigo, you don’t have to burden yourself with everything. When the chief comes in I want you to tell him everything, and I want you to press charges on them. You are worth more than this shell you’ve been playing recently.”

Ichigo glanced up at the older man, warmth filling him at the sight of the caring eyes looking down on him. “Can you stay in when I speak to the chief; I don’t want to chicken out half way through.”

Ukitake laid a hand on Ichigo’s shoulder. “Of course, your dad will be here soon though; wouldn’t you want him to be here instead?” Jushiro couldn’t keep a straight face saying that however, Ichigo cracking a grin as well at the thought of his ridiculous father being serious enough for that kind of meeting.

_iiiiii_

Ichigo didn’t like telling his story once, let alone having to repeat it to the police an hour later. He was left in peace eventually, told to rest and that he could go home tomorrow and would be staying off work for at least a week resting as well. He wasn’t impressed with the weeklong break but when he shifted around on his bed, he could tell his body had taken some serious damage. Plus that would give the hospital some time to gossip in his absence.

He was just settling down for the night when his door opened and a familiar figure walked in, no glasses that time but he had a deep blue dressing gown on over his pyjamas for battle the evening chill. “Hello you, feels weird not having heard your voice for so long.”

Ichigo snorted, leaning his head back on the pillows with a small smile on his face. “Hey. How are you feeling?”

Grimmjow padded over to the bed, standing over Ichigo and looking down, as if trying to memorise his face. “I’m feeling better in here with you. You must have spent a lot of time over the last three weeks at my side, I’m awake now but I’m missing your voice.”

“I miss talking to you. Now I have to listen as well.”

“Is that a problem?” Grimmjow shifted on his feet, hands suddenly in the pockets of his coat.

Ichigo smiled a little wider. “Hell no, I think you’ve got a lot of catching up to do.”

Grimmjow grinned back, stepping closer to the bed and perching on the side. “Absolutely. Green, pizza and action movies.”

Ichigo frowned in confusion.

Grimmjow lifted a hand and cupped Ichigo’s jaw, stroking it a little with his thumb before pecking a light kiss on Ichigo’s mouth. “A quick rundown on the basics, just to get us started.” Both men grinned widely, Grimmjow pressing forward for a deeper, fuller kiss.


End file.
